Road-cart



(No Model.)

B. D. SCOTT.

ROAD CART.

No. 451,528. Patented May 5,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT D. SCOTT, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN.

ROAD-CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,528, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed January 5 1891. Serial No. 376,793. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. Soorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pontiac, county of Oakland, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Road-Carts; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification;

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a road-cart embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 shows the forward link in the form of a spiral spring. Fig. 4 shows the improvement on a vehicle provided with ordinary single bent shafts.

It is the purpose of my invention to produce a road-cart which shall effectually over come horse motion, which shall be readily accessible from the side, shall obviate the use of cross-springs beneath the body, and make a cheap, steady, substantial construction.

In carrying out my invention, A represents the shafts of a road-cart of the type known as double-bent shafts, and a the cross-bar.

A is the axle.

13 represents springs fastened upon the tops of the shafts, and rising therefrom they curve upward and backward, and at b they are provided with eyes.

0 is the body, suspended by the forward end from the shafts or cross-bar by one or more pivoted links 0' which may or maynot be spiral springs, as shown in Fig.3. At the rear end of the body is a cross-bar C to which are connected spiral-spring links C. These spring-links at their upper ends engage either directly or indirectly the eyesbof the springs B. Again, the forward links C may be engaged either at the upper or lower ends with brackets 'D or other equivalent means, whereby the forward end of the body may be raised or lowered,'and similar brackets or means D may be employed for the like purpose of adjusting the rear of the body to a higher or lowerlevel. E represents a step for entering the vehicle from the side in front of the Wheel. It is manifest that as the body is suspended at front and rear by links all horse motion is converted into forward and backward motion.

So, also, cross-springs are dispensed with. Moreover, a wide body can be advantageously employed, and it can be raised or depressed at either end to suit the convenience of the riders.

In Fig. 4f the improvement is shown as applied to a road-cart with the ordinary singlebent shafts.

I am aware that longitudinal springs have been used, but not in the combination shown in this application, or springs even approximating the form shown or in any sense accomplishing the result here attained. Heretofore the only longitudinal springs used have been short heavy springs for supporting the entire body, and have not been used in combination with means for allowing both longitudinal and lateral movement of the body. In no case have such springs been used, to my knowledge, supporting the rear of the body where the forward end of the body has been supported by links to permit longitudinal movement to avoid horse motion. The easy movement of the vehicle can only be accomplished by attaching the rear end of the longitudinal spring to the extreme rear end of the body. By my construction extreme softness of spring is acquired by the combination of the long longitudinal spring and of the spiral spring. Nor am I aware that the rear portion of a road-cart body has heretofore been supported by a pivoted link with means located at the lower'end of said link, whereby the rear portion of the body may be vertically adjusted to a higher or lower level. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 2 attached to the end of the cross-bar 0 but I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to any particular location of this adjusting means D, except that it is at the lower end of the said link-that is to say, it may be attached to the body, or to a cross shaft on the body, or to anything which is connected with or projects from the body. This feature is applicable upon any kind of a road-cart in which the rear of the body is supported by pivoted links.

WVhat I claim is- 1. A road-cart consisting of the following elements: an axle with double bent shafts having longitudinal upwardly and rearwardly projecting springs mounted thereon,

a body supported at its forward end to said shafts by links, an d the rear ends of the springs engaged by spiral-spring links with a crossbar on the bodyimmediatcly beneath the rear end of the seat, substantially as described.

2. A road-cart consisting of the combination of the following elements: an axle with double bent shafts having longitudinal npwardly and rearwardly projecting springs mounted thereon, a body supported at its forward end to said shafts by links, and the rear ends of the springs engaged by spiralspring links with a cross-bar on the body immediately beneath the seat, and means whereby the rear end of the body may be adjusted to a higher or lower level, substantially as described.

ROBERT 1). SCOTT. Witnesses:

WELLS W. Lnoen'rr, DELL J. BROWNE. 

